TMC flags ‘fake voter’ entry in Bengal rolls, alleges BJP bid to rig 2026 polls

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s warning that fake voters were being planted in Bengal’s electoral rolls seems to be true after the name of Ujjwala Burungle, a resident of Nashik in Maharashtra, also enrolled in the Maharashtra electoral roll and a BJP candidate in the 2026 Zila Parishad elections there, has surfaced in Bengal’s 2025 electoral roll of Booth 194, Dubrajpur in Birbhum. The ruling party in Bengal alleged that it was not a mere coincidence, and it was a deliberate attempt by the BJP to plant names in Bengal’s electoral rolls and manipulate elections. It is not an isolated incident; attempts were made to include many names from outside the state in Bengal’s electoral rolls.

In a post on X, Trinamool Congress protested against the incident saying: “In February 2025, Smt. @MamataOfficial had warned that fake voters were being planted in Bengal’s electoral rolls to manipulate democratic outcomes. Today, that warning stands vindicated. While @narendramodi and @AmitShah theatrically tour Bengal crying “ghuspaithiya,” the truth is, it is they who are flooding Bengal’s voter lists with outsiders.” Trinamool Congress also alleged that the BJP knows that they will not be able to win the 2026 Assembly elections by fair polls and hence they were trying to “rig” voter lists. Having found no options, the BJP was attempting sabotage of India’s democratic process.

“Take the case of Ujjwala Burungle, a resident of Nashik, Maharashtra; enrolled in the Maharashtra electoral roll; and a BJP candidate in the 2026 Zila Parishad elections there. Her name has now surfaced in Bengal’s 2025 electoral roll of Booth 194, Dubrajpur, Birbhum. She even submitted an enumeration form during the SIR process and has received a hearing notice,” stated TMC.

“This is organised electoral fraud. BJP knows it cannot win Bengal through the ballot, so it is attempting to rig the voter list instead, importing voters across state lines to subvert democracy. This is an assault on the Constitution, on free and fair elections, and on the people of Bengal. BJP’s desperation has now crossed into outright sabotage of India’s democratic process. What a disgrace,” wrote TMC.